General Motors has told 1,300 employees at the automaker's Detroit Hamtramck plant they will be temporarily laid off for five weeks as the company halts production of the Chevrolet Volt and its European counterpart, the Opel Ampera.

"Even with sales up in February over January, we are still seeking to align our production with demand," said GM spokesman Chris Lee to the Detroit Free Press. Another way of phrasing that? Because sales still suck.

Lee said employees were told Thursday that production would put on hold from March 19 to April 23.

Chevrolet sold 1,023 Volts in the U.S. in February and has sold 1,626 so far this year.